This Grand Prix-Winning 1978 Ferrari 312 T3 is Up For Sale

This 1978 Ferrari 312 T3 is a grand prix winner, sat on pole at Monaco and was driven by Gilles Villeneuve and Carlos Reutemann. It’s up for sale at Fiskens.

The 312T was Ferrari’s workhorse from 1975 all the way through to 1980 in six variations. It won 27 Grands Prix, helped Ferrari to four constructor’s championships and claimed three drivers’ championships – two for Niki Lauda and one for Jody Scheckter.

The T3 was designed by Mauro Forghieri for the 1978 Formula 1 World Championship and featured a brand new chassis, Ferrari’s exceptionally reliable flat-twelve motor, which they’d been using since 1970, new front suspension and redesigned upper body aero. It was designed to take advantage of Michelin radials after the team had suffered increasing difficulties with Goodyears in ’77.

This car, chassis #032, debuted at Kyalami in the 1978 South African Grand Prix at the hands of a young Gilles Villeneuve. Unfortunately, neither Villeneuve nor teammate Carlos Reutemann would make it to the chequered flag.

Carlos Reutemann took over the car for the United States Grand Prix West on the Long Beach street circuit. He claimed pole position, with Villeneuve sitting next to him on the grid in second place. Villeneuve would get past him to lead half of the race, but trip up on a back marker and allow Reutemann to jump into the lead and win the race – the first victory for this car and the 312 T3.

Reutemann would set pole a few weeks later on the streets of Monaco, although he and James Hunt came together, sending Reutemann to the pits for repairs. He would ultimately finish eighth, and Patrick Depailler would claim his first grand prix win.

The rest of the season would be more difficult for Ferrari and #032, with the ground breaking Lotus 79 joining competition the following round at Zolder and Mario Andretti going on to win the championship. Reutemann would win twice more, in Germany and at Watkins Glen, although not in this car, while Villeneuve would win his home race in Canada to close out the season.

032 was bought by Jacques Setton, curator of the Setton Collection in France, eventually displaying it in 1987 at the Cartie ‘Hommage a Ferrari’ exhibition in Paris. It was then offered for sale by Jay D Felter. In more recent years, the car has competed regularly at the Monaco Historique.